Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

Filling:

Chocolate ganache:

Crust:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a ± 18 cm x 26 cm x 3.5 cm deep baking pan with baking paper (allow some overhang on all sides to make it easy to lift from the pan later).

2. Mix the crushed biscuits and butter together and press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 5 minutes and leave to cool. Leave the oven switched on.

Cheesecake: 
1. Beat the cream cheese, castor sugar and cocoa powder together until smooth. Add the eggs, cream and vanilla essence and beat until just combined. Fold in the melted chocolate. Spoon into the prepared crust.

2. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan and carefully fill the roasting pan with about 1 cm deep boiling water. Bake for 45 minutes until set but still slightly wobbly in the centre.

3. Remove from the roasting pan and leave to cool in the baking pan. Loosen the edges with a knife to prevent it from cracking.

Chocolate ganache: 
1. Stir the cream into the melted chocolate and whisk until shiny and smooth. Pour over the cheesecake and spread out evenly. Leave to cool and set. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Carefully lift out using the overhangs of the baking paper. Use a sharp knife and trim the edges. Cut into ± 4 cm x 8 cm bars.